Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.Eleven articulate people work through affairs of the heart in Los Angeles.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSir Sean Connery took just $60,000 as his salary for this movie, as he was keen to play a character his age in a relationship with someone his own age. This was a far cry from the $14 million he earned on The Rock (1996).
- GoofsUp until the end of the movie Angelina Jolie doesn't have her dragon tattoo on her left arm. When all the couples meet for their parents to renew their vows you can then see that she has a red saran wrap heart on her left arm.
- Crazy creditsThe opening scenes introducing the major characters list their character names with subtitles, but not the actors/actresses who are portraying them.
- Alternate versionsTrailer includes scenes of sexual encounter between Anthony Edwards and Madeline Stowe.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Bonnie Raitt: Lover's Will (1998)
- SoundtracksDrinking in LA
Written by James Di Salvio (as James Di Salvio), Haig Vartzbedian and Duane Larson
Performed by Bran Van 3000
Courtesy of Audiogram/Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Music Special Markets
Featured review
Character-driven dramedy with an all-star cast
Take an all-star cast of Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards, Angelina Jolie, Jay Mohr, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands, Jon Stewart, and Madeleine Stowe; add terrific character development, a lot of emotion, and a little plot, and you get "Playing by Heart."
Hannah and Paul (Rowlands and Connery) are an aging couple trying to work through challenges new and old. Mark (Mohr) is dying of AIDS, and spends his last week on earth in a Chicago hospital talking to his mother (Burstyn). Hugh (Quaid) gets drunk and tells tragic stories to women in bars. Trendy, philosophical Joan (Jolie) tries to date the reclusive, mysterious Keenan (Phillippe), who refuses to date. Meredith (Anderson) has been "scalded" by so many men that she is afraid to get too close to Trent (Stewart). And Gracie and Roger (Stowe and Edwards) have an affair in an LA hotel; he wants more while she doesn't.
The stories seem independent, and I spent the whole movie wondering how they all intertwine. (They all come together in the last 20 minutes.) Not much plot, but the characters are very well developed, the acting is superb, and life's humor and tragedy is well mixed.
Rated R for language and mature content, but it probably could have gotten away with a PG13.
Hannah and Paul (Rowlands and Connery) are an aging couple trying to work through challenges new and old. Mark (Mohr) is dying of AIDS, and spends his last week on earth in a Chicago hospital talking to his mother (Burstyn). Hugh (Quaid) gets drunk and tells tragic stories to women in bars. Trendy, philosophical Joan (Jolie) tries to date the reclusive, mysterious Keenan (Phillippe), who refuses to date. Meredith (Anderson) has been "scalded" by so many men that she is afraid to get too close to Trent (Stewart). And Gracie and Roger (Stowe and Edwards) have an affair in an LA hotel; he wants more while she doesn't.
The stories seem independent, and I spent the whole movie wondering how they all intertwine. (They all come together in the last 20 minutes.) Not much plot, but the characters are very well developed, the acting is superb, and life's humor and tragedy is well mixed.
Rated R for language and mature content, but it probably could have gotten away with a PG13.
helpful•30
- bgood26
- Aug 13, 2002
- How long is Playing by Heart?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Dancing About Architecture
- Filming locations
- Mayan Theater - 1038 Hill Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA(Nightclub interiors)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $3,970,078
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $26,669
- Jan 3, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $3,970,078
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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![Gillian Anderson, Sean Connery, Ryan Phillippe, Anthony Edwards, Dennis Quaid, Madeleine Stowe, Angelina Jolie, Gena Rowlands, and Jon Stewart in Playing by Heart (1998)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTMxYmVmZTgtZjc5Yi00N2VmLThmNGUtOGNiM2QwODJmMzY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNzk3NDc@._V1_QL75_UX90_CR0,0,90,133_.jpg)